Best Salmon Fishing in NY, Lake Ontario Fishing Charters, Thousand Island Vacations
If you are looking for the best salmon fishing in New York, look no further than Lake Ontario. Many people are surprised to learn that offshore adventure fishing is merely a 45-minute drive from Syracuse. When planning your lakefront vacation rental getaway, don’t confuse the Great Lakes with the Finger Lakes. Lake Ontario is one of the Great Lakes and it runs more than 250 miles from Toronto to her Eastern Shore, home of the spawning Salmon River.
Fishing in New York – Lake Ontario
Tucked in between New York’s Thousand Islands, the Adirondacks and the Finger Lakes, the Eastern Shore of Lake Ontario can feel like it is a world away. Finding the right spot is the key to a great week filled with beach days, long sunsets and bonfires under the open sky. Vacation rentals in Port Ontario, NY make for the ideal vacation destination.
Beginning in early July, Lake Ontario fishing charters head out daily on the Lake to troll for Salmon lurking in the depths. Originating from Sandy Pond, Oswego Harbor and the Salmon River Lighthouse and Marina, a half or full day charter all but guarantees you will return with a cooler full of wild caught fish and an adventure to remember.
It is a unique challenge, fighting a game fish to bring in dinner, lunch and leftovers for the family. The laps and hours troll by slowly when the poles are static on the boat. The captain is charged with finding the long and straight paths between the other captains with lines in the water.
Last July, I was lucky enough to join my neighbor on a trip out on the Lake. Owning a boat is wonderful, but a friend with a boat is far better. Up before the dawn, we navigated the River channel and motored out to deeper waters. Conversation was halted in favor of the engine’s hum, and I took a moment to enjoy watching the sun rise over the Tug Hill Plateau, geography that only stands out from the perspective a few miles offshore.
Making Memories While Fishing in New York
On this particular trip, I was charged with watching the lines and enjoying the boat’s motion between the lighthouse and the Nine Mile Power Plant – an unmistakable navigational aid on the lake.
Just as I was about to lose faith, a line hit and I jumped into action. Pull up, reel down, repeat. There’s more technique to bringing the fish in than just pulling the rod, it’s all about managing the drag and negotiating with a fish jumping to escape the barb in his mouth. Here we were, two guys in a boat near Pulaski, creating a vacation memory to remember.
The Great Lake claims its own weather system. On a typical summer day, the air heats up over the land and draws the cool air off the lake. A glassy surface is great for a serene kayak paddle before your first coffee.
The sea breeze brings white caps to thrill the kids in the waves after lunch. And almost like a light switch, your sail boat should be in the harbor before the wind stills itself at dinner. The lake takes a few hours to settle down after the wind shifts to the usual evening offshore breeze and is nearly calm when the bonfire is lit before a spectacular sunset.
Our family found our way to the shores of Lake Ontario back in the 80’s, when I held my first fishing pole. It was then that I first found the time, patience, and technique to load up on panfish in the Salmon River. Before long, Pike and Bass became more exciting and made the quiet waters of the spring a prime destination for this casual angler.
If fishing isn’t enjoyed by everyone in your group, the region offers lots of other family friendly activities to enjoy. Spend the day exploring Selkirk State Park or choose to head up the road to explore go karts and reasonably priced golf.
Lake Ontario also offers exciting canoeing and kayaking adventures. Spring waters draw adventurers to the Black River for guided whitewater rafting. The Salmon River releases water from its hidden reservoir on selected summer weekends to inspire additional trips.
The Eastern Lake Ontario sunset is like none other in the world. July nights will see the sun dip around 9 pm, with a quiet serenity that melts the hardest heart. Share your photos, but keep the location a secret. The word hasn’t gotten out yet, because even on the most beautiful nights, the shore of this Great Lake feels like it is completely your own.
Written by: John Hartnett – Vacation Rental Owner of Restless Wave Lake House.
John is a 5 star vacation rental homeowner (just read his reviews!) that owns a lake house on Lake Ontario in Port Ontario, NY. His Port Ontario vacation rental features a private beachfront and fishing pier on the Salmon River in Lake Ontario, NY. To find out more about John’s vacation rentals in Port Ontario, NY please visit his website, Restless Wave Lake House. The best house on the Lake!
Thank you John for being our Guest Blogger!
Some Local Suggestions:
If you paddle past the Selkirk Light House in the late afternoon, you might catch the charter boats that call the marina home. Earlier in the day, most captains are on the lake – book your trip in advance!
The Fish hatchery in Altmar is a fascinating stop on a rainy day. Not to be missed are the spectacular Salmon River Falls.
Dining in Pulaski has come a long way over the years. LD’s On The River located in Pulaski, NY is worth the stop. Even if it is just for the view of the river from the deck.
Further up Route 3 along the Seaway trail is historic Sackets Harbor. Famous for a British invasion from the sea during the war of 1812, the streets are now guarded by micro-breweries.
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